‘A wise man once said, welcome challenge, and see where it takes you.’

This statement opens Honda’s new global film, directed by Colonel Blimp’s Pedro Martín-Calero. With award-winning cinematographer Éric Gautier at the helm as DP, VFX by our team of artists – and grade by George K – the result is real visual treat.

Imogen Horrocks – a seriously accomplished competition climber on the GB team – is star of the show, and the only visible life in the hot, dusty and indeterminate landscape we find ourselves taken to. She skillfully scales a mountain at death-defying heights, before hauling herself over its summit to discover a new world.

Director Pedro Martín-Calero says: ‘The guys at MPC, headed by Bill McNamara did an incredible job with this Honda film. They pushed creatively with me and never went for the easy option; they only wanted to produce the best work we possibly could.’

Film craft

‘This is a monumental VFX project’, says MPC’s Creative Director (2D) Bill McNamara. ‘It was vital to collaborate with the creative team at Wieden + Kennedy, and Pedro, from the very early stages of production. From pre-viz early deign, to the shoot itself in Romania and Madrid, this was a true creative collaboration from the offset.’

Bill continues: ‘The vision was to create a fantastical and surreal land in this uninhabitable part of the world – even the texture of the mountainside is a nod to the type of clay used to build the Honda cars. Working with Wieden + Kennedy is always an exciting journey; and it was truly inspiring to partner with a director with such supreme attention to every last creative detail.’